The Copp Family Textiles - Smithsonian Institution Libraries

12 SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY
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long by 98^ inches wide. The ground fabric is
corded cotton 10 with a linen warp, fabric width 33^
inches, weft of 10 to 13 medium weight yarns between
single heavy wefts, thread count 46 by 48.
It has a floral design with swag and tassel border
couched u in heavy soft two-ply linen thread. There
are traces of cut ends of two-ply linen thread on
both the sides and bottom edges indicating that the
counterpane probably had a fringe originally. Probably
made in the second half of the eighteenth
century. H.6664-B
10 Most "cotton" fabrics produced in Europe and America
before the end of the eighteenth century were woven on a linen
warp. See chapter on textile manufactures in the eighteenth
century.
11 Couching is the technique of laying one yarn or thread on
the surface of a fabric and stitching it in place with a second
thread. The use of cotton on the surface with linen used as the
stitching thread is a good indication that it predates the machine
spinning of cotton.
FIGURE 10.—Sampler, 1822. (Smithsonian photo 27467.)
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_ _ _ ^ - - ^ ^ il1
Embroidered counterpane (Figure 13), 94 inches
long by 82 inches wide with four-inch fringe on sides
and bottom. The ground fabric is corded cotton,
with a weft of six fine yarns with one heavy and one
fine yarn thrown together at each seventh pick,
fabric width 27/28 inches, thread count 34 by 49. It
is embroidered in a pineapple pattern n with pot of
flowers and running floral border in candlewicking 13
in a knotted stitch. It is seamed with two-ply linen
and also with two-ply cotton thread, hemmed with
two-ply linen thread. A cotton netted fringe was
stitched on with two-ply cotton thread. Probably
made about 1800. H.6644-C
12 This pineapple pattern is very similar to the one in the
quilted counterpane shown in Figure 1.
13 Heavy, soft twist, two-ply cotton yarn.